Birds of a Feather Flock Together
by KnowledgeandImagination
Summary: Side Story from After the End: They were known as the two coldest people in Seireitei, so how did the captains of the sixth and tenth become friends? Friendship fic


So, as the poll said, this was from After the End, and takes place about a moth after it ends (no pun intended, and yes, it's ending very, very soon for those reading it). Therefore, there are some things that might confuse people who don't know that story. First of all Hisana has been reincarnated as a shinigami (that story can also be read in Fleeting Glimpses). Second of all, Byakuya and Toushirou have been friends for a while at this time. That's all, really. Hope you enjoy!

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**Birds of a Feather Flock Together**

The clouds had cleared and the sunlight was able to spread easily throughout Seireitei as it rose, casting a soft warm red-pink glow as it rose. The light burst in glittering beams upon the snow that blanketed the city. The city was tranquil, for it was still quite early, and many were exhausted from the Christmas Partying the day before, so there was no one out to witness a tall, dark figure sweep through the streets and into the tenth division compound.

But there was certainly one person up to receive the visitor. Hitsugaya Toushirou looked up from his work as he heard a curt knock upon his office's door, interrupting the previous silence. Recognizing the reiatsu of the knocker, he bade the man to come in, standing up to greet him.

"Good Morning, Kuchiki-taichou."

Kuchiki Byakuya stepped into the room, giving the boy a nod. He looked his usual self, despite the early hour; tall, regal, with his silken scarf resting elegantly upon his shoulders, and his hair kept neatly in place by his kenseikan. In his hand was a pile of paperwork. "Good morning, Hitsugaya-kun. I see you still like to get started early every morning."

The boy gave a nod in assent. "I prefer getting all my work out o the way early so that I may devote the afternoon to more useful activities."

A small smirk tugged upon Byakuya's usually completely stoic mask. "Ah yes, I quite agree, which is why I brought the paperwork from our division that you need to look at early."

"Thank you," Toushirou said gratefully, offering the older captain a cup of tea, which he politely accepted. The two rarely had conversations, as they were busy with running their divisions, and both seemed to find aversion to showing friendliness in public, preferring to keep up a professional appearance even among friends. But Toushirou was grateful for the quiet company this morning, after spending the night tuning out the drunken yells of partying shinigami.

He gazed out at his snow-covered gardens as they lapsed into silence, watching the sun calmly rise higher.

"It is a relief that the conflict with Aizen is over," the Sixth division captain remarked.

The other nodded. "Yes. Sometimes I still wake up early, thinking we need to go to war, and then remembering that it has already happened. We can rest easy for a while. Hopefully."

Byakuya inclined his head in agreement, then, surprisingly, asked, "Shall we walk? There are little rowdy shinigami about, and it has been a while since we've had a peaceful morning such as this one."

Toushirou was surprised, but accepted the offer. "Of course, because all the rowdy ones are knocked out with a hangover, including my lieuteant and yours."

"Ah, but I will not be letting Abarai off work today," Byakuya's face remained stoic as he said thing, but his eyes held the faintest hint of devious amusement as he imagined his Lieutenant's grumpy expression.

"I didn't expect you to."

The two captains stepped out into the snow-covered gardens of the tenth. Toushirou was glad of the fact that it was devoid of shinigami, knowing that if it had not, they'd be faced with stares and muttering people scurrying to avoid them.

The truth was, both captains were known as two of the coldest people in Seireitei, and definitely among the last ones you'd want to anger, and the last ones you'd find socializing. Many subordinates avoided getting in their way, and when there were two of them, it was just like walking toward possible death if you were to accidentally annoy one of them. Some of the less polite shinigami claimed that one was bad enough, two was just asking too much (of course, these were usually the shinigami of other divisions, for the shinigami of their own divisions respected their captains greatly).

Yet despite the detachment both showed, somehow they had let down their thick walls and become good friends. Among the people that knew them, it was common knowledge that they shared a relationship of respect and appreciation for each other's work and abilities. Despite one of them being very much still a boy barely out of childhood, and of Rukongai origin, and the other a man of noble upbringing, head of one of the Great Noble Houses, and one full of pride, disliking most of low origin, they got along surprisingly well.

But then again, perhaps one needn't look far to see why the two got along so well. Both disliked speaking more than necessary, and disliked foolishness and boisterous behavior. Both were diligent captains who always did their work to the letter, and yet both had lieutenants that seemed their polar opposite. Both were able to intimidate subordinates with a glare (another reason they were avoided when see together. The less brave were too frightened of the chance of being caught under _two _deadly glares). Both enjoyed the calm, and were stoic, sharp, and logical, formidable on the battlefield, and mostly, both had pride and honor.

They shared many similar traits. When others spoke of the unusual friendship, these were generally recognized as the reasons for it, and it was all there was to it. Few knew that there was a deeper reason, and though the above reasons helped them bond and get along, there was one thing that initially forged the bond between them.

"Your gardens are quite well organized, and I can tell that they would be beautiful in the spring," Byakuya commented at length.

"Thank you," Toushirou replied. "But I like it in the winter as well. It might be expected me, but I enjoy seeing it covered snow."

"Hmm," the noble considered the words. "Yes, it does give it a lonely, wistful look, but none the less beautiful." There was another comfortable silence. Neither were those who felt that they needed to clutter up every moment with speech. To them, each word spoken should be spoken with reason and meaning. Useless words were better left unsaid.

And it appeared that today, there were still more words to come. "Lonely…that was something that brought us together, wasn't it?"

The small boy glanced sharply at the older captain, who continued. "Not loneliness exactly, but it certainly had an effect. You and I came from very different environments, but I'm sure we can both relate. We were both shunned, for different reasons, but it achieved the same purpose. We had few close friends. I because I was a noble, and that frightened off those below me, and you for your genius. That made us able to understand one another, for it made us both withdrawn."

Toushirou did not comment, his fingers brushed against the perfect slow piled upon a rock, leaving a gentle depression in it "I suppose," he agreed at length, "Though if I remember, you thoroughly disliked me upon our first meeting."

The normally stoic man gave the lightest chuckle at that. "No so much disliked as insulted that you would not treat me with the same awe and fear that I inspired in others, but rather, you were almost defiant and challenging me."

"But you're right. We were both extremely lonely," Toushirou said, looking up at the sky that still held a pinkish tinge. "But that was not what allowed us to bond."

"No, it was not."

Both were silent for a moment, as the reason floating through their minds. At length, it was Toushirou who voiced it. "It was because we'd both lost someone we cared about. Someone who had managed to ease that loneliness. I think that was it."

And so it had been. They first bonded after Aizen's initial defect. Though Hinamori Momo had not been dead at that time, Toushirou had thought she would die, and even after she appeared to be able to pull through, he lost her to the confusing veil of lies and deception that Aizen had created for them all.

And though Hisana had been dead for decades, Byakuya was clearly feeling her loss again after having to relive the tale to his sister, whom he felt that he'd lost by calling her execution.

"It's not so much that, but that we both failed to fulfill a promise, and we both failed to protect a loved one," the other captain said softly. In the distance, the first sounds of some of the less drunk shinigami stirring were beginning to be heard, but at this moment, the garden still appeared very cold and lonely.

A shadow crossed Toushirou's face, and his eyes hardened at the reminder. "But they're fine now."

A small smile tugged at Byakuya's lips, "Oh yes. You have no idea how happy I was when Hisana returned to me. And I suppose I won't ever know how you felt when Hinamori returned to you. But I suppose that it is another sign of how similar we are."

"Hn, that reminds me of something Matsumoto called us the other day. Some human phrase. 'Birds of a feather flock together', meaning similar people tend to group together or something to that effect. Of course, she tried to use ducks to demonstrate, and I had to admit I was not amused."

The noble raised an eyebrow. "Birds? Humans certainly have odd sayings. I wonder if I should be insulted at being compared to such creatures, though I suppose some of them can be quite elegant, but certainly not ducks."

The boy cracked a grin. He enjoyed these conversations. Suddenly, the garden did not appear quite so wistful anymore. "I should get back, and find a way of getting Matsumoto to work. Knowing her, it'll take an hour or more."

"Yes, and I should see to Abarai. Mostly likely he'll try to feign sickness, hide, or something to that effect."

The two made their way back into the office. But as the older captain made to leave, he turned and said, "But you know, I think your lieutenant was quite correct in deeming us this way. It matters not that you are from Rukongai and I am a noble. Hisana and Rukia made me realize a long time ago that blood status does not matter. What matters is the person, and I'd say we are more alike in person than we used to believe."

Toushirou was arranging the paperwork upon his desk. "Maybe. I thank you, Kuchiki-taichou, for your time today. And…thank you for your friendship."

"There is no need," Byakuya spoke. "I enjoyed your company, and believe me when I say that I was and am still glad to have a friend in you, especially that day a year ago when I was sure there was no one else in this world who would understand me and my emotions."

And that was that. The two went back to their work, once again keeping up a professional appearance, once again keeping that stoic mask and reprimanding lazy subordinates and when no one was watching, rubbing aching temples. Both would not speak of their conversation in public, for they had long ago come to an unspoken agreement that everything said stays between them.

To the outside, the two coldest people remained cold, and their friendship sometimes puzzled others. But for them, there was nothing puzzling about it.

Because after all, Birds of a feather flock together.

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Meh, I dunno how that worked out. Review maybe?


End file.
